Thousand Regrets
by XxAdelheidxX
Summary: She promised she'd wait for him until her last breath, and after two years, he finally knew his answer. When he seeks her out, he was shocked at what he found out. Complete
1. Chapter 1

Thousand Regrets

Synopsis: She promised she'd wait for him until her last breath, and after two years, he finally knew his answer. When he seeks her out, he was shocked at what he found out.

Drew sat at the bench in a park one autumn day. The leaves twirled and fell all around him. Winter season is fast approaching, and yet he couldn't feel anything but the painful throbbing in his chest.

He was about to meet Alexa, his childhood friend and love interest, but what he didn't expect to happen was meeting with his old rival and best friend May Maple.

He was happy that she was there, her bright blue eyes and chocolate hair swaying with the cool breeze, her smile that rivaled the sunflowers in its brightness. They chatted about many things, caught up in their everyday lives and talk about meet ups and lunch dates.

It went on for months, before he received an e-mail from Alexa, stating that she'll be coming to the city and maybe patch things up with their broken relationship. He had decided that he still loved her, and agreed to talk about it when she got back.

Before the time came though, he was surprised that May was there and wanted to talk to him. She said it was important, and being the concerned friend that he was, agreed to listen.

They walked in the park in silence, and the usual happy-go-lucky girl he knew from when he was twelve was nowhere in sight. Then she stopped walking and turned back towards him, facing his surprised face before she smiled shyly.

"I love you, Drew."

If it wasn't for the half-lidded eyes looking on the ground, or the light stain of pink on her cheeks, or the slight tremor of nervousness in her voice; Drew might've laughed at her for joking like that. But she wasn't, in the least bit, joking.

She was seriously, admirably, serious about what she had said. And then he felt a small flutter of happiness blossom in his chest.

The feeling was only for a split second, before he looked scared and confused.

He could tell that she was worried that he'll reject her, and for the life of him he didn't want to reject her. Not when he was still in love with his ex, nor did he want to see her in tears.

So he told her the least possible lie to come out of his mouth.

"Can I think about it?"

Her eyes widened for a few moments, before a smile flittered across her lips. She had nodded shyly, and hugged him close. He returned the hug, just to spite his confused feelings, and breathed in the sweetness of her scent. She smelled of pine trees and honey, of laughter and smiles, of _home._

But at that time, it didn't occur to him what it implied, that his decision now would lead to heartbreaking results.

"I'll wait for you until my last breath," she whispered, her small hands fisting on the back of his sweater.

And then the leaves started to fall.

Two months later, May told him that she'd be up in her hometown to take over the family business, and that's where she'll be when he finally got his answer.

What she didn't know though, was that he already made up with Alexa, and is currently going out with her behind her back.

_But you aren't together, so you don't have to feel guilty_, that's what the voices in his head whispered to him, and in all his life he followed them. That's how he got so successful in such a young age. Many people would tell it was his wits or attitude, but the truth was it was his conscience and instinct guiding him on what to do.

Apparently, it also dictated what he has to do with his love life.

It wasn't until six months after that that he got so busy with work and Alexa that he forgot about May's confession. And with Alexa's bickering on when he'll propose yet, got him more and more involved with her.

After nine months to count on May's confession day, did he propose to Alexa for marriage. Of course, she had said yes.

It wasn't a happy relationship though; in fact it was the complete opposite. They weren't married yet and they had started with all the fights and arguments. There was even a time when he thought that there wouldn't even be a marriage in the first place. But Alexa quickly changed moods and apologized, saying that she'll do better in understanding his busy schedule.

Six months of engagement and Drew finally broke it off with Alexa. He caught her kissing some guy he didn't know and it was the last straw. He took the engagement ring he gave her and pocketed it before leaving.

His life was a mess.

It was the middle of winter when he spotted a familiar book on one of his shelves. He had decided that he needed to dispose off some of his old stuff to make way for new things, and he had started on the bookshelf.

A tingling on the back of his mind was telling him to remember.

_Remember what?_ He didn't know.

He flipped through the pages, then something fell out. When he looked, it was a small piece of card addressed to him.

_To the boy who flips his hair and smirk while doing so,_

_Happy Birthday! _

_Love, May_

May! He couldn't believe he had forgotten about her!

It took a few seconds before memories together with her flashed in his mind, the last and important one being her confession to him.

How he wished he had accepted her that day, saving him from all this heartache.

Leaving his room the way it was, he took his coat and set off to find the girl he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

It wasn't in early fall that he got to May's town. After finding out that hadn't left, he made schedule of when he'll be able to get there and spend some vacation with her until the time he asked her to live with him and stay. It took him months before he was able to do it, but finally he was here.

May's house was ordinary. It was a two-story house with three bedrooms sala, kitchen, two bathrooms and a backyard. He had been here before, when his father was on a business trip here and he remembered that this was where he first met her.

Gulping a big breath of air, he knocked on the red door of her house.

Nobody answered.

He tried again, twice.

The small sound of a lock and a handle turning made him nervous with anticipation. He expected that May was still in her pyjamas, hair mussed and curled into a bun, eyes still half lidded and thick with sleep. After all, it was barely nine in the morning and he knew she wasn't a morning person.

But the face of someone he didn't know, a woman in her mid thirties, with bright blonde hair and green eyes, greeted him with a smile.

"Well, I'd never thought I'd have visitors so early in the morning. What can I do for you young man?" she asked cheerfully, eyes gleaming with a light he remembered May possessed, only brighter.

It was then he became unsure. What if May moved on? It had been two years since she had confessed. Don't girls usually find someone else when they have waited for too long?

_No, she promised that she'd wait for me_, he forced himself to believe that he wasn't too late to make things right again and he took up the courage to ask.

"Did a May Maple live here?" his throat caught slightly, and he had to cough it out discreetly. The woman's face fell for a few moments, before smiling again. Though this time, it was as cheerful as before.

"Why yes, I'd say she did live here with her brother. Do you need something from her?"

"I wanted to talk to her, I have something very important to say." He said, nervousness starting to creep in again. His mind was circling on the doubts that she really _had_ moved on. He couldn't stomach the idea of her with anyone else but him.

"Do you happen to be Drew Hayden?" the woman asked, her voice held a bit of sorrow in them.

"Yes, I am."

"It's best to talk inside. Come in," the woman gestured to her home, making way for Drew to go in.

"Thank you."

"It's to early for thank you's son, and after you hear the story, I'm afraid that that's the last thing that'll come to your mind." She then closed the door behind her.

A/N: Part one finished. Part two will be out soon if I get at least 4 reviews. Thanks to those who read, and I hope you enjoy :D


	2. Chapter 2

Thousand Regrets

Drew sipped at the cup of tea offered to him by Matilda, the woman who was currently living in May's house. She had told him to make his nerves calm, before she told him where May was. He had agreed, she was the only lead he got on where to find May, and he didn't want to be rude by not accepting her hospitality.

She sat down across from him, a paper in her hands.

"This letter is for you, Drew. A friend of mine gave it to me three months ago, saying that May wrote it for the man she loves. The name Drew Hayden was written on the envelope, but there was no address, and we couldn't be sure on which Drew Hayden she was talking about. She never did tell her love life to any of us until she was sure that they— I mean you two are together."

Drew took the letter, carefully eyeing the cursive of May's handwriting. It was a bit shaky than her previous handwritten letters and he wondered why. Why had she written a letter for him and not address it to him immediately? Why was her handwriting like something really bad happened to her?

He would only get his answers on the letter, so he opened it and began to read.

_Dear Drew,_

_I'm sorry for writing this letter to you. I never would have written it if times were a bit different. _

_The first thing I wanted to say is I love you._

_I love you so much that I would have wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. But fate is fickle, and she only gave me less than a year before a rare sickness took over me. I was going to wait for you for such a long time, because I know you, and I know that you are busy with work and you don't have time to come here and visit me._

_I understand that, Drew, and I don't hate you for it._

_What I don't understand though, is why you never told me that you already had someone else. You should've just told me straight out that day and rejected me, I would've taken it better._

_You're not the type of person to cheat Drew, I know because you that's what your father did and you hated him for it. _

_I was scared. Scared that you're only giving me hope and won't come to me in the end. I had wished that you would still visit me even when you're only going to reject me._

_And then I received the news of your engagement. _

_I never thought I could be bitter about such a thing, but I did._

_Eventually, I got over it. _

_I realized that maybe you just didn't tell me because you didn't want to hurt me; that you didn't want to ruin our friendship. _

_I'm sorry for making things complicated. I'm sorry for hoping that you'll return my feelings back. I know you love me Drew, I was just too blind to see that it wasn't the same love I was giving you. I had assumed that we were going to be okay, but we weren't._

_If I had the chance, I would still be waiting for you right now, right this second, until you come and say what you wanted to say that day. But I don't think my body would last any longer._

_I love you Drew, and I wanted to say congratulations even if you didn't give me an invitation. I know it would take years from today before you're able to read this. You might even have a swarm of kids of your own. I know you want to have many, since you're only a single child. _

_I'll miss you, and I'll still be waiting on the after life. Maybe then I can hear your answer. I'll accept it no matter what the outcome is._

_I love you. _

_May_

A blotch went straight to the paper, and he didn't realize they were his tears until Matilda gave him a handkerchief. He took it, but didn't made a move to wipe them away. The tears just kept falling, his vision becoming blurry yet he felt numb. So numb.

"Where is she now?"

"At 3rd street," Drew knew even without asking that that was where the cemetery was. The tears just fell harder, and he began to sob out. He clutched the paper in his chest, trying to will away the pain the blossomed inside him.

"W-when… when d-did she p- leave…" he couldn't continue what he was about to say, just because if he said it, it'll mean he's accepting that she's gone. That there was no longer a place he could go back to. That he was too late.

And he was too late.

"Six months ago," was what Matilda whispered, her voice void of emotion.

It took a few minutes before his sobs finally died down, the handkerchief was soaked with his tears but he didn't mind it at the least.

He was about to leave, thanking Matilda for the letter and the information about May, when there was a soft knock on the door. Matilda stood up from her chair and opened the door to a face of waist long chocolate hair and bright blue eyes, matched with a sunny smile.

His eyes widened, thinking that he had passed out and dreaming right at the moment.

He said her name in barely a whisper, and she seemed to have heard him and looked directly at him seeing him for the first time.

Her eyes mirrored his in their size, before she uttered "Drew."

A/N: Forgive me, I just love cliffhangers.

Originally I had this story in tragedy section, but I don't really like sad endings no matter how much I love angst-y stories. So yes, this will be a happy ending. There will be one more chapter left, so read and review! Enjoy~


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I'm sorry it took so long to post, but here is the final chapter of Thousand Regrets. Thanks for reading! And if you want an epilogue, I'll need at least 7 more reviews to post it. Thank you again!

The leaves had long fallen from the branches but it didn't stop the two figures from shading under it. Drew sat at the left side of the bench, looking at his folded hands and contemplating on what to say, what to do. He closed his emerald eyes briefly, before opening them hurriedly thinking that the person next to him would suddenly disappear.

He wished that what Matilda said was a joke, no matter how cruel it is.

At least then, it wouldn't be true and he isn't too late to make things right.

_Poor Drew, jokes are half-meant silly._

He made a move to grasp her hand, and he was thankful that she didn't jerk away. He finally looked at her face.

She had looked thinner than the last time he saw her, her long hair lighting in color. The once melted chocolate color now turned into a milky one, it didn't look too good on her pale complexion. There were creases on her eyes that were only visible if you look closely enough, but with Drew's twenty-twenty vision, he saw it even if he didn't want to.

The feeling of her small hand on his, felt fragile, like an already cracked glass that was only a moment away from breaking into a million pieces. His eyes searched hers, asking and looking for answers to the questions swirling inside his head, but he didn't want to rush things. Not after he had let her wait for more than two years.

She deserved that he wait, and he will definitely wait.

Especially now that he knew deep inside him that what was written in the letter, no matter how cruel it is, it is true.

"How've you been?" May asked, her voice soft like the wind swirling between them. His grip on her hand tightened the littlest bit, as if assuring himself that it was really May beside him.

"Miserable," he replied dryly, eyes looking at the dry leaves on the ground.

He heard her chuckle softly, and he smiled slightly that she still hadn't lost radiance, her light.

"How about you May? How have you been?" he inquired, now looking at her sapphire eyes that spoke a thousand words without her mouth opening. But most of the time, he wasn't able to read them for he had taken her for granted all those years ago.

She seemed to recognize the worry in his voice, and she smiled to make him feel less stressed. He did relax, a bit, so that she too wouldn't worry about him.

There was a moment of silence before she was able to answer, "I was in the hospital until six months ago."

"Matilda said that you left at that time, that you were in third street now, and the last time I was here that was where the cemetery is."

"Well, yes it used to be the cemetery. But before my dad left, he bought a portion of the unused land as a training ground. You know how he is with training, very strict and all." She laughed to eased the mood, and Drew let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Was…," he gulped the big lump in his throat," was the sickness real? Was it as serious as in the letter? Was the letter even true?" his mind was in chaos and panic, and May broke eye contact with him before standing up.

He thought she was leaving, and he gave a small cry before grasping her arm and pulling her close. It wasn't until he felt those arms wrapping around him did he realize she stood up hug him, to comfort him.

_When she's the one who's supposed to be comforted._

He heard himself sob. He never showed weakness to anyone, not even his parents. But here he was, inside May's arms, crying his heart out as if she really had been gone at this moment. His chest was being filled with something unknown and it hurt. It _hurt_ so much that he felt like he could barely breathe at all.

She soothed him, murmuring soft nothings and saying like "It's all right", "I'm here", "No one's going to leave you", "I love you Drew". She repeated them over and over again, until he calmed down.

His hold on her waist didn't let go of its tightness even when he had calmed down. He looked up at her smiling and understanding face, and she moved one hand from around him to wipe the tears that slowly descended from his face.

"I didn't know you were a crybaby, Drew." She said, eyes smiling happily.

There was no pain in them, no regret, no bitterness that he had let her wait for him. There was only love.

_Love for me, _he thought relieved.

Just then, a smile lifted his lips and he leaned up to kiss her.

After that eventful day, Drew appointed himself as her shadow. He would be wherever she was, whether it was shopping, cooking, even sleeping. He wasn't allowed in the bathroom though, no matter how much he pleaded.

He couldn't believe that the day would come where he, Drew Hayden, would plead a girl. But then again, this was May, and she was no ordinary girl to begin with.

He learned after he had calmed down that day that May had expected she would die after almost a year being in the hospital. The medicine and therapy didn't work, so she opted to stay at home and feel the atmosphere of what she was used to as he last moments before she closed her eyes forever.

It was Max, May's little brother, who persuaded her to write the letter to him, four days before she left the hospital. Max even said that he would deliver it to him personally, but when May had finished writing it, there were documents and other stuff she needed to finish before she could leave that completely forgot where it went by the time Max went to get it. She didn't write another one though, thinking that it would only make her feelings in a chaotic mess if she ever thought of writing the same things about it again.

So Max agreed to just let it be.

When she had gotten home, Caroline, May's mom, had attended to her every need like a personal nurse. May didn't want the attention she was receiving, but since this was the last time she would see her mother, she had let her do what she wanted.

Even Norman, May's dad, had stayed at home to take care of her. That's when he thought to buy the unused lot near the cemetery as a new training ground instead of going to the next town.

It was a miracle that after three weeks of moving into 3rd Street, May's health improved. Her appetite was growing, not what it used to be but it was better than eating two bowls of soup a day, and she was steadily starting to walk. And with the training ground just below their house, many of Norman's students helped her in recovering.

It took her more than four months to complete her walking, and even then she was only able to walk for about an hour or so. Before, she could go on walking for hours and hours and she only complained to her friends when she was hungry.

Matilda was Norman's co-teacher and he decided that even though he's going to leave the house, he didn't want to sell it to anyone. Since Matilda was looking for a place to live in the country, having lived in the city all her life, she agreed to take May's house when they had moved in.

May was going to have a small chat with Matilda today when he saw her, and that's how they ended up where they were now.

May's parents were on a vacation from all their nursing, she had insisted they go out and have a break and she can handle herself for a few weeks when they get back. It took a lot of convincing and a lot more guide rules before they agreed. Then Max was on his own adventure, travelling around with some of his own friends. May didn't have the heart to let him stay with her and do nothing when he could have been exploring things even she hadn't seen before.

They agreed to write everyday, or call as much, and so May was alone in the house. She was only able to sleep alone for two days before Drew showed up and decided to take care of her while her family was away.

She had protested greatly, saying that he still had work and stuff think about, but he only hugged her and told her that he was on vacation anyway, and he'd rather spend time with her than someplace where he was alone.

May reluctantly agreed. She had also realized that company wasn't bad, especially when it was Drew's. He had smirked and flipped his hair at that comment, even if he wasn't supposed to hear it.

So here they were now, a month of living together. May's parents had called and asked how she was doing a few weeks back, and she had told them that Drew was staying with her, and they had extended their vacation for a few more days, if not weeks. May didn't mind. It's time for them to let out the stress.

Of course, that meant more alone time for him with May.

He let a small smirk make its way up his lips, as his arms tightened their hold on her waist as they rocked back and forth on the swing.

~Finite~


End file.
